Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Never Go (Book) Marketing Without A List

For a long time the word marketing meant, well,
marketing.

You know:

Milk

Eggs

Peanut Butter

Chocolate Chips

Apples

Cookies

Yogurt

COOKIES

But along comes the time when my life turns that term upside
and around and marketing has nothing to do with food or rickety carts or
special super sonic discount cards.
Jeez. I’m so good at
grocery shopping! Going to the supermarket. Marketing. Whatever you want to call it. I keep a running list through the week
of what I need and want. I keep like-items together, sometimes I include
recipes. Then, on a full stomach, I go off to the market, list in hand. And aisle by aisle, I get what I need.
Sometimes things I want. Sometimes what I want isn’t there and I either wait or
make a substitution.

Hey wait!

There is no reason that the principles of good food shopping can’t apply to good BOOK marketing. Here's a marketing list to get you started!

Keep a running list.
Anytime an author does something you like, or something you don’t like, write
it down. Start now so you don't forget anything you need. You know how you can spend $200 in the
supermarket and leave without the milk? Yeah, that.

Figure out what you need, and what you want. You may want the red velvet
cupcakes from the bakery section.
You may want coverage for your book on a snazzy website. What’s the cost, financially, and to
your ultimate goal? If you want to eat healthy, forego the cupcakes. Or buy
one. If you are on a tight budget, find a less expensive (or free) way to
market your book. Maybe there’s
another site just like it that will offer you the same benefits. If you need something, figure out a way to get it done. If you want it, decide if it really belongs on the list. Remember, you can always make a new list later.

Search things out. I don’t know about you but I’m
relentless if there is something in a store that I want to find. Things are not
always where you think they’ll be, are they? Go searching through online and in-person marketing opportunities
for your book like you were looking for an ingredient for a recipe for your very
important person’s birthday. Be relentless. It won’t come to you. I know this because I've waited.

Ask questions. Gotta love the produce guy, right? He
knows his stuff. He’s done this before and he’s the one who can show you how to
pick a ripe cantaloupe. Ask
authors you admire how they found their favorite resources. Follow (stalk) authors
and watch what they do. Do that.

Do what you enjoy. Try new things, but if you like it, you’re
more likely to be good at it, follow through, and have your message find the
right readers and book buyers. Book
marketing is not one size fits all. Probably the reason I sometimes am tweaking
dinner for different family members.

Be polite. Others’
time and personal space matters in book marketing. A lot. It’s probably a good idea keep a fair distance in the other market too, so as not to bang your grocery cart into the back of anyone’s ankles.

This is so cute Amy, and got me thinking on many levels. Love the advice to have fun—will have to really meditate on that one, since the idea of marketing in general, among so very many authors who do so distastefully, is bitter. I do have a notebook that will solely be dedicated to this in which I'm already jotting down promises to review, etc. Yours is so close now—I'll be watching!